throw down the gauntlet
English
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throw down the gauntlet
Where it comes from
From the late medieval custom symbolizing a challenge, in French jeter le gant which nowadays usually means to give up after having tried hard (leaving the challenge to any takers). The English phrase dates to the 1540s (figurative use by the 18th century).
verb throws down the gauntlet · throwing down the gauntlet · threw down the gauntlet · thrown down the gauntlet · throw down the gantlet
- To issue a challenge. We might as well dispute with Dimock on a Coronation Day, as argue with these Writers. They strut, vapour, throw down the Gauntlet, and defy us to take it up.
Translations
Every language
verb issue a challenge
| Español | arrojar el guante |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 挑戰 /挑战 tiǎozhàn |
| Français | jeter le gant |
| Deutsch | den Fehdehandschuh hinwerfen |
Talk about this word "throw down the gauntlet." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/throw%20down%20the%20gauntlet. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. throw down the gauntlet. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/throw%20down%20the%20gauntlet "throw down the gauntlet." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/throw%20down%20the%20gauntlet.Cite this
@misc{throw_down_the_gauntlet_2026,
title = {throw down the gauntlet},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/throw%20down%20the%20gauntlet},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
